Overall Best Home Game Blinds for Cash Games? (1 Viewer)

Best All-round Home Game blind stakes?

  • $0.05/$0.10

    Votes: 3 2.4%
  • $0.10/$0.20

    Votes: 3 2.4%
  • $0.10/$0.25

    Votes: 4 3.2%
  • $0.25/$0.25

    Votes: 22 17.5%
  • $0.25/$0.50

    Votes: 69 54.8%
  • $0.50/$1.00

    Votes: 7 5.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 18 14.3%

  • Total voters
    126
I like 0.25/0.50 because it is low enough to get players to sit down, and then I can effectively make it play more like a 0.50/1.00 or even 1/2 by getting everyone to straddle, double straddle, quadruple straddle, etc. Ask @Jeevansluck or @Frank, I definitely can get the action going!

I don't worry too much as I know the players can afford it and have lost my share on bad nights (you have to give action to get action).
...and hence why I no longer allow straddles when I host a cash game. If I want to play 1/2 then I'll just make that the stakes. I like .25/.50. Plenty of action to keep me interested and not a huge dump on the budget when I have a bad game.
 
You slanted this poll to very small stakes, to be honest. For home games, I think having a small/big blind is outdated and should just be two blinds of the same amount. I know, I know, but what about the chips? Most people give two shits about the chips. Best home game stakes: two blinds of the same amount....honestly probably $1/1. Simple and effective, most don't bat an eye at a dollar. Cap the buy in at 100BB.

Also, for "friendly" poker, limit's where it's at. Good luck convincing people of that, though. Because everybody knows, "you can't bet people off in limit".
 
Ok, this may sound weird but hear me out. I adjust the chip values to = 1$2$ blinds for my 25c/50c and 10c/20c games. I have some players who play a regular 1$/2$ game (myself included) that come to my micro games. This may seem like heresy to some chippers but I will attempt to explain.

Essentially this means 1$ chip: is always worth exactly 1 blind. At 25c/50c they are worth 25c and at 10c/20c they are worth 10c.

What I've found is that it just works. Everyone is just tossing a red and 3 white (unlike some heathens who use other colors...) and saying "make it eight". Sure in bigger pots people are probably doing some mental math but it makes the game play more like the 1/2 people are used to & EVERYONE likes more chips. Everyone is happy to get $200 in chips for $20 bucks at a 10c/20c regardless of the fact its still just 100 bb. It's just more fun than "raising 70 cents"

At 10c/20c 100BB buyon geys you $200 in chips. At 25c/50c 100BB gets you $200 in chips.

Like all comprises it isnt perfect but after a short 5~10m learning curve they all like it. Added bonus is i dint need frac chips.

Posted this elsewhere before but still would like to hear any thoughts on this.
 
You slanted this poll to very small stakes, to be honest. For home games, I think having a small/big blind is outdated and should just be two blinds of the same amount. I know, I know, but what about the chips? Most people give two shits about the chips. Best home game stakes: two blinds of the same amount....honestly probably $1/1. Simple and effective, most don't bat an eye at a dollar. Cap the buy in at 100BB.

I mostly seen people play 25c/25c, 25c/50c, .50/1, or 1/1 for home games, both here in live. Many people I speak with at these games say that if they play higher than .50/1 or 1/1/, they might as well go to the casino, and much rather stakes be a bit smaller for fun, competitive/seriousness, and a little profitability.

Also not so sure if you explanation for having both similar blinds makes a big difference, even if players don't care for chips. They may care how many chips are in play in comparison. 25c/50c is just a step above 25c/25c, but technically doubling the stakes and cash. I know some people know it's just a dollar, but those dollars add up on later streets, and don't want to lose all of it after a few hands, at least for those who play more serious in poker.

Also, for "friendly" poker, limit's where it's at. Good luck convincing people of that, though. Because everybody knows, "you can't bet people off in limit".

Pretty much why I don't host Limit. More straight forward in a way where you'll have decent pot odds at winning and can not bluff your opponent off. Less complicated game.
 
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Ok, this may sound weird but hear me out.
....
Posted this elsewhere before but still would like to hear any thoughts on this.

Ummm, I've been preaching this approach here and on CT for many, many years.

But you make it sound more difficult than it is. All you do is third-grade math at buy-in and cash-out times; you play it just like any other 1/2 game.

If you run into the occasional moron who thinks he should play like an idiot because "they're really quarters, not dollars", you just disinvite him from your games.
 
So your mind is made up. That's cool. Why post a poll then?
Like I said, I'm curious on everyone else's input on best overall blinds and stakes they believe is best for a home game everyone from all backgrounds can potentially agree upon. It's not about me. Already stated it's not solely based on a player's preference, but that is welcome, as well.
 
Ok, this may sound weird but hear me out. I adjust the chip values to = 1$2$ blinds for my 25c/50c and 10c/20c games. I have some players who play a regular 1$/2$ game (myself included) that come to my micro games. This may seem like heresy to some chippers but I will attempt to explain.

Essentially this means 1$ chip: is always worth exactly 1 blind. At 25c/50c they are worth 25c and at 10c/20c they are worth 10c.

What I've found is that it just works. Everyone is just tossing a red and 3 white (unlike some heathens who use other colors...) and saying "make it eight". Sure in bigger pots people are probably doing some mental math but it makes the game play more like the 1/2 people are used to & EVERYONE likes more chips. Everyone is happy to get $200 in chips for $20 bucks at a 10c/20c regardless of the fact its still just 100 bb. It's just more fun than "raising 70 cents"

At 10c/20c 100BB buyon geys you $200 in chips. At 25c/50c 100BB gets you $200 in chips.

Like all comprises it isnt perfect but after a short 5~10m learning curve they all like it. Added bonus is i dint need frac chips.

Posted this elsewhere before but still would like to hear any thoughts on this.
Yep, works very well. Often used at meetups as a way to introduce new games without anyone getting hosed in the process, but still feeling like meaningful stakes (so less "but it's only 50c to call" thinking).
 
Yep, works very well. Often used at meetups as a way to introduce new games without anyone getting hosed in the process, but still feeling like meaningful stakes (so less "but it's only 50c to call" thinking).
Used it as well, with 1E chips representing .20 for a .20/.40 game (so, 5E chips being 1 in money and 20E chips being actual 4E).
Thinking about keeping this with the traditional, social "lower league", while, with new, clearly poker-oriented acquaintances, we 've already moved up to .50/1E, face value.
 
Interesting for me, I much prefer .25/.50 for a home game. I play in my garage, or at other home games, strictly for socialization and fun - and to me it's not fun when people that I'm hanging out with as friends are a bit on edge for real money. Plus if it's not my house and it's more than .25/.50 (like 1/2 or 2/5) it typically gets raked. I've been to too many home cash games in Los Angeles that have absurd rake or are otherwise are sketchy. I keep it cheeseburger stakes when I host and don't rake a dime and have never had any issues.

But in a card room or casino I prefer 2/5 or even higher - because I know it's safe and I know that the rake (as high as it is in SoCal) isn't going to change depending on who's dealing. Plus if I stack someone and they get mad there's much less of a chance of foolishness erupting. Plus that person isn't my friend, and I only play home games with my friends.
 
The game I'm usually playing at is most often about .50/.50. It seems like kind of small blinds but for some reason the game itself becomes something larger than what the blinds would seem to dictate.
 
IMHO, with a smile, and in the most polite possible way:

This poll is like asking "what is the greatest band of all time" and then only listing rock-and-roll artists from 1970-1985.

As others have said or alluded, play high enough that people take it seriously but not so high that folks are losing money that dramatically changes their lives.

If the stakes are too low, it's not poker. If the stakes are too high, it's not a home game.

Of course, YMMV.
 
As others have said or alluded, play high enough that people take it seriously but not so high that folks are losing money that dramatically changes their lives.

If the stakes are too low, it's not poker. If the stakes are too high, it's not a home game.
Exactly, and it's a very fine art of balancing.
Often it's just impossible to make ends meet with a specific group of people; so you stick with the people that matter more to you, or create two separate groups.
 
At home, my games with friends are .25/.50 and I’ve been trying to get a $1/$1 game going due to people requesting to play.

My mom has wanted to introduce her sisters to the game so we have been playing .05/.10 and I’ve learned that this is much more friendly game as most of the players aren’t concerned with losing $20 over an evening when they enjoy good cooking and sometimes free drinks.

Host the games at the stakes your players enjoy. Let them find their poker passion and show them a good time. Even if the stakes are too low for you, seeing a few hands for low stakes and enjoying your friends/family is much better than a free shove fest on pokerstars (unless you’re playing with the PCF group) ;)
 
I don't think the actual stakes matter all that much -- it's all the mindset of the players.

I grew up playing poker every Saturday night with my parents and two neighbor couples. Everyone had a coffee can full of pennies and the stakes were 3/6 ...... cents. I've never had more fun playing poker in my life. :cool
 
Not surprising to see 0.25/0.50 taking the majority. Cool thing about those stakes from what I've seen is it can go two ways and can either remain a tamed game that serves the purpose of being, for the most part, a social event. Usually ends up with players buying in between the $20-60 or sometimes $80. If the group is close enough and nobody on the table is being overly sensitive about it, you can still creep up on the low $100's in buy-ins in a 0.25/0.50 game. Lower than that tends to play out like a game of bingo, as Dodger mentioned above, but it all boils down to who you're playing with and how comfortable everybody is.
 
I don't think the actual stakes matter all that much -- it's all the mindset of the players.

I grew up playing poker every Saturday night with my parents and two neighbor couples. Everyone had a coffee can full of pennies and the stakes were 3/6 ...... cents. I've never had more fun playing poker in my life. :cool

Absolutely. If the level of competitiveness is still there paired with the idea of having a good time, doesn't really matter. Unless I'm trying to pay my mortgage and put money towards my kid's college savings accounts, money not on my mind when I sit at the table. I treat it like a sport. Would like to win, but if I don't, I tossed some chips around in an effort to do so, had a drink with good people...goodnight.
 
I play in one .25/.50 game where most players buy in for $20 and another where most buy in for $100. Both are fun but the later ends up with a whole lot more $$$$ on the table at the end of the night. Either way it's more fun than a casino.
 
Absolutely. If the level of competitiveness is still there paired with the idea of having a good time, doesn't really matter. Unless I'm trying to pay my mortgage and put money towards my kid's college savings accounts, money not on my mind when I sit at the table. I treat it like a sport. Would like to win, but if I don't, I tossed some chips around in an effort to do so, had a drink with good people...goodnight.
That's how I like to see it regardless of stakes. Used to play sports a good portion of my life. Now that I'm older and with a family, I don't really have the ability, time, or the people to play any sports anymore. But now all of my good friends here see poker as the last type of sport we can still play regardless of our conditions, even view it as a strategy game too.

Heck, some of us agree to play with no money if we have a new person join to have them better understand poker and still take it just as seriously. Almost all of us see those nights being the only nights to socialize away from family and work. Besides the Superbowl today.
 
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2/5 should be fun... big enough to be exciting... where you feel like you want to play good poker.
 
My group plays .50/1 with a $40 max buy-in and it’s killing me. I’m trying to convince them to go .25/.50 with $50 max so there’s more room to actually play poker but they say they want more all-in moments. I’ve gotta start my own game...
 
2/5 should be fun... big enough to be exciting... where you feel like you want to play good poker.

I think everybody should have a 2/5 game here and there. Doesn't have to be that often either but just to add to the mix and spice things up a bit.
 
I think everybody should have a 2/5 game here and there. Doesn't have to be that often either but just to add to the mix and spice things up a bit.

I don't think my crew would ever play 2/5 (at the appropriate buyin). I have, however, hosted 1/2 with a max $300 buyin. It's been a while though.

Now you've got me thinking... perhaps it's time to set one up!
 
I don't think my crew would ever play 2/5 (at the appropriate buyin). I have, however, hosted 1/2 with a max $300 buyin. It's been a while though.

Now you've got me thinking... perhaps it's time to set one up!

....or even 1/2, whatever the crowd feels comfortable with as a annual or semi annual "crazy game" so to speak.
 
....or even 1/2, whatever the crowd feels comfortable with as a annual or semi annual "crazy game" so to speak.

I'd actually call our .25/.50 games our "crazy" games. Stakes are low. Not much at risk. Easier to have fun and throw a little money around. Toss in some mixed games to jack up the pots. And no one's gonna go home crying about a hit of a hundred bucks or so. Similarly, it's hard to feel like too much of a hero if you're up and bank $100 on the night. Wins/losses are just more for bragging/jabbing rights among friends.

But the few times I've hosted 1/2 it's been a way more serious vibe.
 
I'd actually call our .25/.50 games our "crazy" games. Stakes are low. Not much at risk. Easier to have fun and throw a little money around. Toss in some mixed games to jack up the pots. And no one's gonna go home crying about a hit of a hundred bucks or so. Similarly, it's hard to feel like too much of a hero if you're up and bank $100 on the night. Wins/losses are just more for bragging/jabbing rights among friends.

But the few times I've hosted 1/2 it's been a way more serious vibe.

Identical situation in our game. If we surpass that $100 mark, we feel bad for taking the other's money but remind ourselves that its all in the name of being competitive and having a good time. I think we did 1/2 once in all the time we've played together and that was it. Didn't feel right. Better off saving those for casino when the group is very close.
 
I really envy you guys that can play micro stakes...but I just can’t pay attention to anything under $1/$2.
Our 1/2 plays more like $2/$5...it’s not uncommon to have $15 button straddles. I’d say it’s average to have $3-$5k on the table most sessions. We’ve had the same group for over 15 years.

Perfect scenario IMO. The only reason I advocate for micro stakes is to ensure sustainability of the game over time. If you have enough friends to keep a 1/2 or 2/5 game going year after year then that is the best.
 

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